Caledonia man charged in gas station robbery along lakeshore

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Caledonia man charged in gas station robbery along lakeshore

NORTON SHORES, Mich. (July 14, 2014) — A Caledonia man was arrested for the armed robbery of a Muskegon County gas station in which the store clerk opened fire.

“Working with investigators from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department and the Grand Rapids Police Department Major Case Team, NSPD Detectives Kyle Neher and Todd Swanker collected sufficient probable cause to obtain search warrants for electronic devices and a home in Wyoming, MI,” stated a news release from the Norton Shores Police Department.

“Based on evidence collected, investigators arrested 37 years old Elamin MUHAMMAD from Caledonia, MI on August 1, 2014. He has been charged with Armed Robbery, Felony Firearm 2nd and Habitual Offender 4th. MUHAMMAD is being held in the Muskegon County Jail on a one million dollar cash/surety bond. The second suspect in this case has been identified; however, investigators are still working to develop sufficient probable cause for criminal charges,” stated the release.

A clerk who feared for his safety during an attempted armed robbery was able to pull out his own handgun and fire ten times at the suspect.

Criminal charges will not be filed against the gas station clerk, said police, in connection to the July 14th robbery.

Officers from the Norton Shores Police Department were dispatched to the Shell gas station at 2628 Henry Street at around 6:15 a.m.

The suspect entered the front door wearing dark clothing and a ski mask over his face. He carrying a dark revolver. He demanded money from the cash register, and he got an undisclosed amount of money.

The male victim, a 24-year-old clerk from Muskegon Heights, was then ordered into the back room to load cigarettes into a back pack. Fearing for his own safety, the clerk pulled out his own handgun and started firing at the suspect. The clerk fired approximately ten rounds inside of the store. The suspect then fled out of the store without returning fire. It is unknown if the suspect was hit by any of the shots.

The suspect jumped into the passenger’s seat of a newer model black Chevrolet four-door, which was parked on the north end of the building. There was a second suspect driving the vehicle.